Pressure dye machine



May 21, 1957 led June 5, 1955 FGJ.

W. J. NEWCOMB ET AL PRESSURE DYE MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JAMES SUNERS W/LL/AMSON May 21, 195/7 w. J. NEWCOMB ETAL 2,792,702

' PRESSURE DYE MACHINE Filed June 3, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS WAL TER J. NE wc 0 Ma ./A M55 sA unos/irs W/L/AMso/v WMM/9%! Maw ATTORNEYS United States Patent PRESSURE DYE MACHINE Walter J. Newcomb, Graham, and James Saunders Williamson, Greensboro, N. C., assignors to Burlington Engineering Company, Inc., Graham, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application June s, 195s, serial No. 512,997 2 claims. (c1. ca -189) This invention relates 'to dyeing machines, and in particular to pressure dye machines adapted to treat fabrics at elevated temperatures and pressures.

The dyeing of Orlon and Dacon fabrics with dark colors, for example, frequently requires temperatures ranging up to 300 F., and corresponding pressures ranging to 50 pounds per square inch. It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved and efficient machine particularly suited for such processing.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a pressure dye machine of novel construction, designed particularly to facilitate the `loading of cloth beams thereinto, with subsequent closing and sealing of the machine, and the opening of the machine and removal of cloth beams therefrom.

Other objects are to provide an improved pressure dye machine adapted for reversingtwo way flow through a cloth beam, and lending itself to automatically controlled high temperature, high pressure dye processing. Further objects will be in part evident and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention :and the novel features thereof my best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, partly broken away and sectioned to illustrate the internal construction thereof, andthe mounted position of :a cloth beam therein;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on enlarged `scale taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 4, showing details of the closure sealing means;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view of the device, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is :an end elevational View of the device, looking toward the right hand end of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on enlarged scale taken vsubstantially on the line 5-5 of Figure l, showing details of the cradle supporting and guiding structure;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on enlarged scale taken :substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 3, showing details lof a cradle roller mount, and

Figure 7 is a plan view on enlarged scale corresponding to the line 7-7 of Figure 3, showing further details of .a cradle roller mount.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in Figure l is shown a longitudinally extended tank 10, preferably of cylin- `drical form disposed with axis horizontal. The tank 10 is provided with a closed end 12 but is open at the opposite end, #and a suitably sized cap or closure 14 is provided adjacent the open end and adapted to close it. Closure 14 is supported through braces 16 by wheel mounts 18 and the wheels 20 rotatably mounted therein, and by a pair of laterally spaced tracks 22 disposed below closure 14 and extending in direction parallel to the tank axis. Desirably the wheels 20 are peripherally formed to enclose guide strips 24 mounted on the track surfaces, or they may be flanged or otherwise adapted to be guided along the tracks. The tracks may conveniently rest on the supporting floor 26, and may be provided. with stops 28 limiting the outward movement of wheels 20 and the closure supported thereby.

Adjacent its open end, tank 10 is provided with a reinforcing ring 30, which mounts a plurality of radially extending and angularly spaced lug pai-rs 32. Each lug pair mounts a pivot pin 34 (see Figure 2), from which extends :a threaded bolt 36. The elo-sure 14 is similarly edge reinformed by means of a ring 38, which carries a plurality of generally U-shaped brackets 40, corresponding in number and alignment to the lug pairs 32 mounted on the tank. The outward facing bracket slots 42 are adapted, it will be understood, to receive the bolts 36, land in sealing the closure to the tank the closure may be drawn up by loop nuts 44 threadably engaged to the bolts 36 and bearing against the brackets 40, thereby compressing an annular gasket 46 disposed between rings 30 and 38, The gasket is conveniently mounted on the outward facing surface of ring 30'. From the inner side of closure 14 a beam supporting cradle indicated generally as 48 extends into the tank, and is substantially coextensive in length therewith. Cradle 48 includes longitudinal members 50 spaced and and rigidiiied by cross members 52, and adjacent each end thereof mounts a vertical support S4, suitably braced, which carries at its top an arcuate saddle 56. The saddles 56 are aligned and disposed to receive and support end bands 58 of a fabric beam 60 coaxially with the tank. The fabric beam is preferably of the type described and :claimed in our prior Patent Number 2,701,957, issued February 15, 1955.

The inner end of cradle 48 is supported and guided by longitudinally extending tank tracks 62, and brackets 64 (Figures 3 and 5) may overhang the flanges of cradle members S0 to prevent upward displacement thereof. As best illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the inner end of the cradle is constructed to mount transverse bolts 66, which rotatably mount, by means of bearings 68 and an intervening spacer 70, flanged rollers 72. The rollers 72, as will be evident, are adapted to ride the tank tracks 62, and support the inner end of the cradle at all times. Steam coils 74 (Figure 3) may be provided adjacent the bottom of the tank, between the tank Ytracks and below the cradle.

The closure 14 is provided with conveniently disposed handles 80, Iand with a central housing 82 through which a shaft 84 extends. The shaft 84 is threadably engaged to the closure housing, and Icarries at its outer end a hand wheel 86, :and at its inner end the beam end seal plate 88. The `seal plate 88 preferably is rotatably and pivotally mounted on the shaft 84, in the manner described and claimed in our prior Patent Number 2,707,383, issued May 3, 1955. g

The tank is also provided with a closed circuit reversible pumping system, which includes the usual pump 90, inlet manifold 92 and outlet manifold 94. Both. pump manifolds communicate with a transfer valve 96, from which a conduit 93 extends axially through the closed end 12 of the tank. The end of conduit 98 is provided with a flange 100, Which is suitably gasketed to receive and seal `the end of a fabric beam 60. Another conduit 102 leads from the transfer valve to the bottom of the tank, communicating therewith through the bottom opening 104. Conventional water, steam and drain lines and Valving (not shown) may be incorporated, and customary lauxiliary equipment such as expansion tanks, sample chambers, add chambers and sight gauges.

Operation of the device will now be described. The cycle of operation begins with the tank empty, and with the closure and cradle assembly withdrawn therefrom to maximum outward position, as permitted by the floor track stops 28. At such position, preferably, both cradle saddles 56 are clear of the tank, the cradle support rollers 72 resting on the tank tracks 62 adjacent their outer ends.

A beam, fully Wound with fabric and suitably tied, may then be conveniently positioned on the cradle saddles by means of a hoist :and sling. This operation requires merely lowering of the fabric beam, the saddles servmg to automatically position and align the beam coaxially with the tank. The closure and cradle unit, with beam resting thereon, may then be moved toward and into the tank, manual effort exerted against the closure handles 80 being easily adequate for this purpose, since the closure and cradle unit is Wheel supported at both ends thereof. The assembly is moved inwardly until the closure 14 engages the tank gasket 46, whereupon the bolts 36 may be pivoted into the slots 42 of brackets 40, and the loop nuts 44 tightened thereon until the closure is pressure sealed to the tank.

Actuation of the shaft 84 by hand wheel 86 will then force the seal plate 88 into firm and sealing contact with the adjacent beam end, `and urge the beam into firm sealing contact with the conduit flange 100 at the other end thereof. The beam is thereby sealed so that liquid entering the tank through conduit 98 passes only to the interior thereof, and must pass through the fabric wound on the beam to reach the tank opening 104 :and leave the tank. Conversely, liquid entering the tank through its bottom opening 104 must pass radially inwardly through the fabric Wound on the beam, to have access to and leave through the conduit 93.

The tank may then be filled with Water, bleaching solution, dye liquor or the like, `and the system liquid heated by high pressure steam in the coils 74. The system liquid may be heated to temperatures of 300 F. or above, the apparatus being adapted to function at internal pressures of 50 pounds per square inch or more. The entire system, it will be noted, is closed except for the open end of the tank, which is adapted to be closed and pressure sealed conveniently and quickly by closure 14. The pump 90 and transfer valve 96 may then be operated to pump liquid alternately radially outwardly and radially inwardly through the fabric wound on the beam, and automatic control for the pumping cycle is readily applied. Similarly, automatic control of the steam to the coil 74 may be utilized to `control the internal temperature and pressure of the system. The machine, or rat any rate all interior parts thereof, is desirably constructed of stainless steel or similar corrosion resistant metal.

When the dyeing or other fabric treating operation has been completed, the tank 10 may be drained. Thereupon, the loop nuts 44 may be loosened to disengage brackets 40, and the bolts 36 may be pivoted outwardly away from the tank closure. The closure and cradle assembly may then be rolled outwardly with ease and in a matter of seconds, and the fabric beam 60 thereby exposed for easy removal from the apparatus. The open or withdrawn position of this assembly is indicated in Figure l by dotted lines. Ordinarily, the machine may be opened, the treated fabric beam removed and replaced by another beam to be treated, and the apparatus then closed and sealed and ready for subsequent operation in about one and one-half minutes, the entire operation being readily handled by a single attendant.

The dyeing machine greatly reduces the time and labor involved in fabric treating operations. The closed circuit reversible pumping system greatly reduces dye consumpset forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A dye machine comprising a horizontally disposed pressure tank having a closed end and an open end, a closure for said open end, means for sealing said closure to said open end in fluid-tight relationship, a rigid longitudinal cradle member secured to said closure and extend= ing therefrom into said tank, =a pair of axially spaced vertical supports mounted on said cradle member, each of said supports carrying a beam supporting saddle at its upper end, a track in said tank supporting the inner end of said cradle member, a track outside said tank supporting said closure, said tracks being parallel whereby said closure and cradle member are longitudinally movable from an inner tank closing position to an outer position whereat Isaid cradle member is substantially outside said tank, a beam end seal plate mounted inside said closure land axially movable relative thereto, and a closed circuit reversible pumping system communicating With said tank through Ia xed conduit extending axially through said closed end .and facing said beam end seal plate, and through another conduit opening into the bottom of said tank.

2. A dye machine comprising la horizontally disposed cylindrical pressure tank having a closed end and an open end, a closure for said open end, means for sealing said closure to said open end in huid-tight relationship, a rigid longitudinal cradle member secured to said closure and extending therefrom into said tank, a pair of laxially spaced vertical supports mounted on said :cradle member, each of said supports carrying a beam supporting saddle at its upper end, a track in said tank `supporting the inner end of said cradle member, a tnack outside `said tank supporting said closure, said tracks being parallel lwhereby said closure `and cradle member are axially movable from lan inner tank closing position to an outer position Whereat said cradle member is substantially outside said tank, a beam end seal plate mounted inside said closure and axially movable relative thereto, and a closed circuit reversible pumping system communicating with said tank through a fixed conduit extending :axially through said closed end and facing said beam end seal plate, and through another conduit opening into `the bottom of said tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FORETGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 30, 1916 

